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Bwankuj
The indomitable walls of Bwankuj stand as a bastion between humanity and the harsh and unforgiving wilds of the Sabo Jungles. Born from a conglomeration of indigenous tribes and foreigners, it remains the most ethnically diverse city in the region, featuring tribes from all over the western coast and the interior as well. As a major trade nexus between the jungles and the trading colony of Ujaland, this city is a patchwork society built on stock trade, mining, and the steady influx of caravans. Its varied populations stake independent claims to the different sections of the city, where they practice their own beliefs and adhere to their own law. The city caters to no specific group, ethnically or culturally. Instead, a council of representatives loosely governs the city (and as a result, city policy tends to favor those ethnic groups currently boasting the majority of council representatives). History Bwankuj began as a small trading post, established as neutral ground upon which caravans from the west and east could meet and exchange goods, as caravan owners could earn higher percentages by swapping cargoes and returning home than by actually undertaking the arduous journey all the way to their target markets. Instead, both sides were able to travel the portion of the route they knew best, and business boomed. Over time, Bwankuj's proximity to untapped natural resources also became apparent, and the land was quickly purchased by several Hallandic colonial companies that built permanent, more defensible structures. At first, competition between rival companies was fierce and deadly, and the initial colonies were almost wiped out. In the wake of this infighting, the indigenous peoples of the region and caravan folk who had set up shop here instituted various laws and guidelines to assure that the city’s ability to trade freely and maximize profits would never again be threatened. And in doing so, they ensured the ethnic freedom of all those taking residence within its walls, giving rise to the city’s diversity and a new wave of prosperity. Structure Nearly impenetrable, Bwankuj's towering granite block walls serve as barricades against the treacherous jungles. Tremendous slabs exquisitely fitted without mortar slope slightly inward, their weathersmoothed surfaces intricately carved with millions of ancient runes. Within the walls, concentric stone passages weave like arterial pathways throughout clotted ghettos of mud-and-thatch huts. These settlements surround a sizable free square known as Myakunzile Pavilion. Mud and thatch serve as the predominant building material for small walls and furniture, while soapstone sculptures of anthropomorphic creatures adorn daises and columns about the various slums. Stone depictions of tusked tiger-men and gaunt, featherless birdmen with fleshy wings and curved beaks stand attentively with swords and shields. Government For the most part, Bwankuj remains politically neutral. Though technically part of the Hallandic colony of Ujaland, the people of Bwankuj manage their affairs without much pressure from any foreign governments. Its governing council of consists of numerous tribal leaders and officials appointed from each community, as well as a small contingent of Hallandic business owners and their representatives. Larger clans are permitted more appointees, and therefore power shifts are common. Appointees are expected to adjudicate law with the interest of the city first, and their people second. Failure to remain impartial can result in execution, and thus deliberations are always well argued before decisions are made concerning the welfare of those from other tribes. Of the foreign groups, the various trading company representatives may possess the most power. The power structure shifts frequently as companies (such as the Sabo Products Consortium, which maintains a compound in town) build and lose profit - which also defines the amount of support they can muster or hire. Still, indigenous tribes retain a fair amount of political clout, as do government representatives. And while caravans come and go regularly from Bwankuj, locals draw a clear distinction between themselves and the transient populations — and they have no problem taking the latter for all they're worth. Bargaining is the highest art form in Bwankuj, and the city's most profitable local resources include diamonds, gold, and salt. Other less profitable resources include items like cattle, cacao, coffee, cotton, ivory, peanuts, timber, and wax, as well as countless foreign imports from the jungles. Category:Small Cities Category:Locations Category:Locations in Ujaland Category:Locations in the Sabo Jungles Category:Settlements Category:Settlements in the Sabo Jungles